The Giants' embattled secondary will be tested against All-Pro receiver Steve Smith on Sunday. (Elsa/Getty Images)
This weekend’s game is an important one for Big Blue because should they lose to the Panthers and the Cowboys and Packers win their games both teams would clinch a playoff spot. New York would then have to win at Minnesota the following week and hope for outside help.
Of course, if the Giants can win and the Packers and Cowboys drop a game, they would be in great shape due to sweeping Dallas in their season series and owning a better record in the NFC than Green Bay.
But with all that said, it comes down to stopping Carolina this Sunday. And it won’t be easy.
With starting quarterback Jake Delhomme out with a broken finger, Panthers’ backup Matt Moore has done well in his absence. During last week’s 27–6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Moore threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns. He also connected with All-Pro receiver Steve Smith nine times for 157 yards and a game-winning touchdown.
That doesn’t bode well for a banged-up Giants secondary that has allowed 207 yards and 24.4 points per game this season.
Also missing from the Panthers’ starting lineup is dangerous running back DeAngelo Williams. But like Delhomme, he has a steady backup in his place with Jonathan Stewart. Last week against Minnesota, Stewart gained over 100 yards rushing and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the season.
When the Giants have the ball, they will be going up against the league’s fourth-ranked defense and one that administered a sound beating to Brett Favre and the Vikings, sacking the famed quarterback four times and forcing two turnovers.
Speaking with www.giants.com, Giants quarterback Eli Manning said of the Panthers’ defense, “They are a talented defense. You can't afford to make mistakes, turn the ball over. We just have to be consistent.”
The good news is that Eli Manning has been playing some of the best football of his career with a 96 quarterback rating and has thrown for 3,584 passing yards and 26 touchdowns this season.
Against the Redskins, Manning completed 19-of-26 passes for 268 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He also led a very efficient passing attack that converted 11-of-15 on third down, best of any team in the league at 73.3 percent. Another interesting stat heading into this game is that Manning is 2–0 versus Carolina during the regular season.
Coach Coughlin has been pleased with Manning’s emergence as the Giants’ leader. He said, “Eli has done a great job and he is continuing to do an excellent job. He has asserted himself as a leader. Obviously the quality of his play has raised the quality of those around him.”
New York also has a Steve Smith of its own who can cause nightmares for opposing defenses. In only his third season, Smith is becoming a clutch performer for Big Blue with 90 receptions, 1,093 yards receiving, and six touchdowns. He is also making a name for himself as go-to receiver on third downs, making comparisons to players like Wes Welker in New England.
